Millions of dollars to overthrow Viktor Orban A conspiracy involving US Democrats, USAID, and the European Commission

Political pressure groups operating in Hungary have received at least HUF 23 billion (USD 61.8 million) in US government and EU funding, the Sovereignty Protection Office said in its latest statement. 

In the past year, the Office has uncovered and published a wealth of information on the key players and background of foreign-funded political interventions, Caliber.Az reports, citing Hungary Today.

Based on their investigations, they have found that Hungary is also home to an active political pressure network that serves the goals of the US Democratic Party and its associated business circles, as well as the international progressive ideological camp.

They wrote that the network’s operation in Hungary is ensured by a complex system of foreign funding, which until recently was based on three pillars: US government funds (United States Agency for International Aid, National Endowment for Democracy, State Department); European Commission funds (CERV, LIFE, JUST programs); and the own resources of funds that also redistribute government money (Open Society Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, German Marshall Fund).

Based on the information revealed so far, the Office found that the Hungarian network received US government and EU funding as follows: USAID alone sent some HUF 3.5 billion (USD 9.4 million) to political pressure groups between 2022 and 2024.

Furthermore, the European Commission has allocated HUF 19.5 billion (USD 52.4 million) from its own programs to political pressure groups until February. The programs, each worth billions and open-ended, will run until the end of the 2021-2027 EU budget cycle, so the Commission is expected to decide on further payments.

“The office is continuously monitoring the information released by the new US administration and the new results of EU tenders. The total budget of the Hungarian network is certainly larger, as governments of some EU and non-EU countries, as well as private foundations and private companies, are also involved in funding the political pressure groups,” the statement highlighted.

The scandal around the U.S. federal agency, USAID’s global financing of left-wing and anti-conservative projects started growing in early February. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote on his social media page then that “So apparently USAID financed ultra-progressive Politico in Brussels and basically the entire left-wing media in Hungary under the previous US administration. And they called me ‘disruptor of the year’… I think the world owes a debt of gratitude to President Donald Trump for uncovering and putting an end to this dark conspiracy.”

Since then, the Sovereignty Protection Office has been investigation the organization, and many government politicians spoke out on the matter. In light of the USAID funds stopping, left-wing groups in the European Parliament called on the European Commission to take over funding for NGOs and media outlets.